Wash & cleanse

Find a washing method for loose hair, sections, braids, twists or mature locs.

18 guides · Free to read

Choose your starting point

Start with how you wear your hair. Scalp shampooing, washing in sections and washing an installed style address different handling needs. If you use a cleansing conditioner, choose its dedicated guide and follow its label.

Compare the methods

Explore the methods below. Open a guide for when to use it, what you’ll need and the full steps.

Clean hands separate rinsed roots to check for visible oil or styling residue before a second pass.

8–15 min hands-on

Double-cleanse in one wash

A double cleanse is two complete shampoo-and-rinse passes during one wash, with the second used only when needed and label-permitted.

A woman gently massages shampoo at her scalp with finger pads while her wet lengths hang down.

7–12 min hands-on

Protect lengths during a frequent wash

Pre-shampoo length conditioning applies rinse-out conditioner to the mids and ends, rinses it out, then cleanses the scalp with shampoo.

One hand holds a sprayer above long wet hair while the other supports the lengths over a deep basin.

1–3 min hands-on

Rinse shampoo and conditioner completely

Rinsing washes away a shampoo or conditioner that is meant to be removed with water. This guide shows how to reach the roots and lengths using a basin and handheld sprayer.

A woman uses both hands to gently work shampoo at the back and sides of her scalp, with the lengths hanging loose.

3–6 min hands-on

Shampoo your scalp

Scalp-focused shampooing uses a rinse-out cleanser on the skin beneath your hair to remove oil and product residue.

A woman gently presses both hands against the outside of a fitted rinse-free shampoo cap.

5–12 min hands-on

Use a room temperature rinse-free shampoo cap

A rinse-free shampoo cap holds a ready-made cleansing solution in an absorbent lining, allowing hair to be cleaned without a running-water rinse.

A woman gently distributes rinse-free liquid shampoo through her short hair with both hands.

6–15 min hands-on

Use rinse-free liquid shampoo and towel it out

Rinse-free liquid shampoo is a ready-made cleanser worked through hair and removed with a towel, without a running-water rinse.

Water lands on the back of the crown and runs downward through installed extension lengths while the head stays upright.

35–75 min hands-on

Wash and dry installed extensions

Installed-extension washing cleans the scalp and attached lengths without scrubbing bonds, then dries the attachment areas completely.

A woman secures the folded ends of a loose temporary braid made from small locs.

25–60 min hands-on

Wash and dry starter microlocs with braid and band

Braid-and-band washing uses loose temporary braids with secured ends to wash interlocked starter microlocs. It requires the installer’s approval for your current stage.

One hand supports conditioned lengths while the other finger-detangles gently from the ends upward.

10–25 min hands-on

Wash fragile over-processed hair with less friction

Low-friction washing cleans the scalp while minimizing rubbing, piling, twisting and pulling on fragile processed lengths.

A man in navy swim trunks gently works shampoo along his scalp with finger pads while holding adjacent mature locs.

15–30 min hands-on

Wash mature locs

Washing mature locs cleans the scalp and established natural locs with rinse-out shampoo, without combing or unravelling them.

A woman massages shampoo into the front roots with both hands while leaning over a basin; the longer hair is clipped back.

2–5 min hands-on

Wash only your fringe between full washes

A fringe wash cleans the front roots and bangs separately from the rest of your hair. It is useful when only that small area needs shampoo.

Gently distributing shampoo through loose wet hair.

6–12 min hands-on

Wash semi-permanent color gently

A normal clarifying wash can gradually reduce some semi-permanent pigments when the color maker permits it.

A woman uses the pads of her own fingers to work a low-lather cleansing conditioner over one wet scalp area.

5–10 min hands-on

Wash with a cleansing conditioner

Co-washing means washing the scalp and hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. Traditional conditioner washing removes less oil; some products sold as co-washes add cleansing ingredients.

One hand parts wet hair while the other lifts and places a flexible silicone brush lightly against the scalp.

4–8 min hands-on

Wash with a scalp-massaging brush

Scalp-brush shampooing uses a flexible silicone brush to distribute ordinary shampoo over reachable scalp areas with light contact.

A woman massages lather over her scalp with finger pads while the shampoo bar rests on its draining dish.

4–7 min hands-on

Wash with a shampoo bar

Shampoo-bar washing uses a solid rinse-out cleanser to wash the scalp and hair.

A woman lifts one loose section and gently massages shampoo into its scalp area while other sections are clipped aside.

10–20 min hands-on

Wash your hair in sections

Section washing means washing one area of loose hair at a time while the rest is held aside. It makes the scalp underneath easier to reach.

A woman in a navy swimsuit holds braids aside with one hand and gently applies lather along a scalp part with the other.

10–20 min hands-on

Wash your scalp while wearing braids or twists

Installed-style scalp washing cleans the exposed skin between braids or twists with rinse-out shampoo while keeping the style in place.

A swimsuit-clad woman holds the long ivory washer handle while the gray washing head gently contacts the side of her short wet hair.

7–15 min hands-on

Wash your scalp with a long-handled hair washer

A long-handled hair washer carries shampoo on a flexible washing head, extending the reach of gentle scalp contact.